This issue of SA Stats will present two articles. The first article will focus on employment in the retail trade industry in South Australia in 2005–06. The second article willexamine South Australia's reliance on River Murray water over the period 2000-01 to 2005-06 and review the River Murray water availability for South Australia for the 2006-07 year. .

Key points from the Employment in the Retail Trade Industry in South Australia article:

In 2006, the retail trade industry accounted for 15% of average annual employment in South Australia.

Employed South Australians aged 15–19 years make up 55% of average annual retail trade employment.

Over one half (53%) of total employed South Australians in the retail trade industry were female.

Nearly a quarter (24%) of the average, annual, total, part-time employment in South Australia was in the retail trade industry.

The percentage of persons aged 65 or over who worked in the retail trade industry in South Australia increased by 6 percentage points from 1996 (7%) to 2006 (13%).

Between 1996 and 2006, most of the growth in employment in the retail trade industry in South Australia was in part-time employment.

In the article, Employment in the Retail Trade Industry in South Australia data have been rounded to the nearest 100 for estimates and whole number for percentages. Other Explanatory Notes are not included in SA Stats in the form found in other ABS publications. Readers are directed to the Explanatory Notes contained in related ABS publications referenced in the feature article.

Key points from the River Murray - South Australia article:

Irrigators and irrigation providers accounted for 80% of South Australian diversions of River Murray water over 2000–05.

The 12 month period ending January 2007 was the driest experienced in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) in the 115 years of historical inflow records.

South Australia's minimum water entitlement flow for the 2006-07 year was reduced to 1,470 GL per annum, or 30% below the regular minimum of 1,850 GL.

Allocations for South Australian irrigators were reduced to 60% of entitlements for the 2006-07 irrigation season. Opening irrigation allocations for the 2007-08 year would be zero, and improvement in allocations at the start of the irrigation season (end of spring) very much depend on rainfall in the MDB .

In the article,River Murray - South Australia data have been rounded. Other Explanatory Notes are not included in SA Stats in the form found in other ABS publications. Readers are directed to the related publications referenced in the feature article.

If you have any comments about this product please contact Lisa Moutzouris on ph: (08) 8237 7455 or alternatively e-mail sa.statistics@abs.gov.au.